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The Significance of Whales to Aotearoa New Zealand

Take a deep dive into the whales of Aotearoa New Zealand to discover their spiritual and cultural significance.

Underwater shot of a humpback whale diving below the waters of the Pacific Ocean

The Significance of Whales to Aotearoa New Zealand

  • 5 weeks

  • 3 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Introductory level

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  • Duration

    5 weeks
  • Weekly study

    3 hours
  • 100% online

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Learn from the experts at Te Papa Museum of New Zealand

This four-week course tells a story of Aotearoa New Zealand (AoNZ) that weaves together natural heritage, Māori culture, colonial history, and the forging of the country it is today. This one, however, tells that story through a perhaps unexpected vehicle – that of the whales of AoNZ.

With expert insights from Te Papa (Museum of New Zealand), you’ll look to the past to understand the present and to better navigate the challenges of the future.

Discover the whales in New Zealand

You’ll start by exploring the biology, evolution, and diversity of the whales of AoNZ and what makes the country a global whale hotspot.

From baleen to toothed whales, you’ll discover the captivating creatures in New Zealand’s waters.

Explore the cultural significance of whales to the Māori people

The whales of the South Pacific are extraordinary, with unique species, cultures, and behaviours.

They also have a deep cultural connection with the earliest Māori, both physically and spiritually. You’ll explore how this persists today in fascinating and beautiful ways.

Discover the history of whaling in AoNZ and modern whale conservation efforts

After Cook, the first meetings between Māori and the wider world came in the form of whalers. You’ll discover the history of whaling and in particular, the role whaling played in the early European settlement of New Zealand.

Finally, you’ll explore modern approaches to whale strandings, threats, and conservation. You’ll gain a unique perspective on conservation as you develop sensitivities to various cultural considerations in a bicultural society.

By the end of the course, you’ll understand whales and conservation through a bicultural lens.

Syllabus

  • Week 1

    The secret lives of whales

    • An underwater photograph of a humpback whale just beneath the water. It's head is in profile and it's long flippers point downwards.

      Welcome to the Course!

      Welcome to the course! Let's dive in, get to know each other, and get an idea what this course is all about.

    • A light grey porpoise pokes its head into the underwater frame from the left. It has a rounded head and almost looks like its smiling

      What is a whale?

      How did a hoofed, furred land mammal wind up with underwater descendants? And how do those descendants adapt to live in the deep sea when they still breathe air?

    • A humback whale launching itself backwards out of the water, flippers high, water spraying all around it

      Meet the locals

      Meet some of the whale species that can be found in the waters of the South Pacific, and learn about some of the incredible habits and adaptations that make them so fascinating.

    • Two orca are laying on the edge of a large pool. Their mouths are open and they are touching tongues.

      Lovers, friends, and foes

      The social intelligence and connections of cetaceans has long been fascinating to humans. In this article, we explore the complex communication, culture, and relationships both within whale families, and between different species.

    • Photograph of a whales tail protruding from the sea. It is sunset, the sea is calm and the palette is of saturated deep blues and purples.

      Wrap up and connect

      Let's reflect on everything we covered this week

  • Week 2

    Whales in Māori and Pacific cultures

    • A black and white photo from the interior of a marae, looking out the front doors. The door is flanked with intricate Māori carvings and weaving. Above the door is a carving of a figure on the back of a humpback whale.

      Welcome to Week Two

      Welcome to week two!

    • A photo taken at dawn or dusk looking over a harbour. In the foreground is a pile of rocks jutting from the sea. The silhouette of a staue is visible atop it, of a women with her arms behind and hair flowing behind as if leaning into the wind. In the back

      Legends of tohorā

      Whales have significant cultural and spiritual significance in Māori culture, and in the wider Pacific.

    • A bone carved pendant. It is an animal of some sort, wound into a circle with a head on the upper outside of the coil. Its eye is an inset red material.

      Whale ivory taonga

      Let's dive into the Te Papa Collections to see the ways precious whalebone was (and is) used by Māori, and other cultures in the Pacific, in the production of high-status taonga (treasures) used for adornment, tools, and weaponry.

    • A very old drawing ov a beached whale, its belly upshowing the prominant throat pleats of a baleen whale. Buildings of a traditional Māori village can be seen in the background and atop a hill in the background. A Māori man stands at the whales head, insp

      Gift from the sea

      Aotearoa New Zealand is a whale stranding hotspot. Though today the first response to them is conservation and rescue, for Māori they were and are considered a gift, providing rich cultural resources to local iwi (tribes).

    • A photo taken at sea looking towards a sunset under an orange sky. A whales tail fluke looms large in the foreground as it dives under the waves.

      Wrap up and connect

      Let's reflect on everything we covered this week

  • Week 3

    There she blows

    • An old lithograph looking over an ocean full of a turbulent maelstrom of waves, sperm whales and small oar-powered whaling boats. Some of the whales are stuck full of harpoons, as men on the ships are poised to throw more.

      Welcome to Week Three

      Welcome to week three!

    • A large dead whale floats alongside the ship it is tethered to as workers secure it. The whale is most of the length of the ship.

      There she blows

      The peak of the whaling boom was an intense time, leading to significant social change for both Māori and settlers. Whaling became a goldrush, driving rapid industrialisation.

    • A watercolour painting of a Māori man in a feathered cloak and topknot trading a crayfish (lobster) with a white man in a British admirality uniform.

      Clashes and connections

      The whaling boom brought early whalers from around the world into close contact with the indigenous Māori of Aotearoa New Zealand. This meeting of cultures took many forms; partnership, trading, marriage, and open conflict.

    • Watercolour painting of a large dead whale on the beach with a teal sea behins it. There are six men working on the whale and two women look on. Two of the men stand on the whale, cutting strips of blubber away from the flesh. The other four men haul it a

      Life as a whaler

      Let's take a closer look at what life was like for early whalers, some of the products of their hard work, how the end of whaling came about, and the birth of the 'save the whales' movement.

    • A close up underwater photo of a humpback whale swimming past, looking into the camera.

      Wrap up and connect

      Let's reflect on everything we covered this week.

  • Week 4

    Protection in a sea of perils

    • Two humpback whales swim next to each other, just beneath the waters surface

      Welcome to Week Four

      Welcome to week four!

    • A sepia photo of three children playing in the ocean with a dolphin. They are following it, arms outstretched to touch it. A dinghy and oar are just visible at the top of the picture.

      Close encounters

      A brief look at some famous dolphins that have found their way into the nation's hearts and how they drove the creation of marine mammal protections in Aotearoa new Zealand.

    • Aerial view of a dead whale on a beach, with two workers in blue at each end holding the ends of a measuring tape against it.  There are a series of large open wounds in stripes on the whales back.

      Threats

      The threats facing the whales of the Pacific (and the world) today, are varied and many. Let's look at some of the biggest ones.

    • A densely packed, two storey, whale watching boat on the ocean. The side reads "whale watch" and "tohora"

      Kaitiaki/Guardians

      Despite the myriad threats facing them, there is hope for both cetacean protection in Aoteareoa and the conservation of the cultural practices associated with them, thanks to the dedication of several groups and individuals.

    • A tiny krill perched on a person's fingertip. It looks like a tiny transparent shrimp with big round black eyes.

      For our future

      There are larger things that can be done to protect the future of whales and dolphins, their ecosystem, and our wider world. In this section we look at just some of these

    • A mother and calf humpback whale swim side-by-side in the ocean

      Wrap up and connect

      Let's reflect on everything we covered this week.

  • Week 5

    Additional week for self-study

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

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Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Identify the variety of cetaceans found in Aotearoa New Zealand waters
  • Compare the different ways cetacean species, eat, sleep, hunt, migrate and form relationships
  • Explore the cultural and spiritual significance of whales to the Māori people
  • Classify some of the significant objects made of whale ivory by Māori and other Pacific cultures
  • Describe the early whaling industry and its role in Aotearoa New Zealand’s colonial and bicultural history
  • Describe modern approaches to whale strandings and conservation through a bicultural lens.
  • Explain the variety of threats whales and dolphins face today, and approaches to mitigate them

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone who is curious about the biodiversity of whales, the deep cultural and spiritual meaning of whales to the Māori people.

It will also be useful for anyone interested in history, biology, and the cultures of the South Pacific.

Who will you learn with?

Who developed the course?

Logo of Te Papa Tongarewa - fingerprint with name above

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Te Papa’s vision for the future is to change hearts, minds, and lives.

Our role is to be a forum for the nation to present, explore, and preserve the heritage of its cultures and knowledge of the natural environment. Te Papa was established with this role by the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa Act 1992.

  • Established

    1992
  • Location

    Wellington, Aotearoa (New Zealand)

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Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

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  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$79/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 12 Mar 2025

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 3 March 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

Sale price available until 3 March 2025 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.

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